Terms for using our content
A few rules to stop you (and us) getting in trouble.
a) Don’t mess with our content
What do we mean by that? This sort of thing:
- Removing or altering BBC logos, and copyright notices from the content (if there are any)
- Not removing content from your device or systems when we ask you to. This might happen when we take down content either temporarily or permanently, which we can do at any time, without notice.
b) Don’t use our content for harmful or offensive purposes
Here’s a list of things that may harm or offend:
- Insulting, misleading, discriminating or defaming (damaging people’s reputations)
- Promoting pornography, tobacco or weapons
- Putting children at risk
- Anything illegal. Like using hate speech, inciting terrorism or breaking privacy law
- Anything that would harm the BBC’s reputation
- Using our content for political or social campaigning purposes or for fundraising.
c) Don’t make it look like our content costs money
If you put our content on a site that charges for content, you have to say it is free-to-view.
d) Don’t make our content more prominent than non-BBC content
Otherwise it might look like we’re endorsing you. Which we’re not allowed to do.
Also, use our content alongside other stuff (e.g. your own editorial text). You can’t make a service of your own that contains only our content.
Speaking of which…
e) Don’t exaggerate your relationship with the BBC
You can’t say we endorse, promote, supply or approve of you.
And you can’t say you have exclusive access to our content.
f) Don’t associate our content with advertising or sponsorship
That means you can’t:
- Put any other content between the link to our content and the content itself. So no ads or short videos people have to sit through
- Put ads next to or over it
- Put any ads in a web page or app that contain mostly our content
- Put ads related to their subject alongside our content. So no trainer ads with an image of shoes
- Add extra content that means you’d earn money from our content.
g) Don’t be misleading about where our content came from
You can’t remove or alter the copyright notice, or imply that someone else made it.
h) Don’t pretend to be the BBC
That includes:
- Using our brands, trade marks or logos without our permission
- Using or mentioning our content in press releases and other marketing materials
- Making money from our content. You can’t charge people to view our images, for example
- Sharing our content. For example, no uploading to social media sites. Sharing links is OK.
Source: Licensing | BBC Sound Effects
This is how licenses should be written. Well done, BBC.
Robin Edgar
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